Boot-tree.



Patented 0st. 2, |900.

H. B. PELTUN.

B 00 T T R E E.

(Application filed July 18, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. PELTON, OF MISHAWAKA, INDIANA.

BOOT-TREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,181, dated October2, 1900.

Application filed July 18, 1900. Serial No. 24,085. kNo model.)

T0 all whom t nwty concern,.-

Be it known that I; HENRY B. PELTON, of Mishawaka, in the county of St.Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain newl and usefulImprovements in Boot-Trees; and I hereby declare that the following,` isa full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in collapsible trees particularlydesigned for use in the making of felt boots. Heretofore these treeshave generally been made with a divided sole, one portion of which incollapsing the tree telescopes into the other or moves upon orrelatively to the other in some way, so that the length from the heel tothe toe varies and is not the same when the tree is in the collapsedstate as it is when the tree is in the extended state. This stretchingsometimes amounts to three or four inches and constitutes the weak pointor defect in nearly all trees heretofore made, because this extension ofthe limited portion of the blank puts' undue strain upon the foot of theboot and results in defects in the formed boot. In the improved treeforming the subject of this invention there is no extension of the solepart, and hence no undue strain on the blanks and no faulty boots. Eachblank is perfectly formed and the feature of having the entire soleportion (heel and toe) in one piece and allowing the top of the boot tobe lnoved upon this single-sole piece is a feature of particular valuethat renders the improved tree superior to all that have preceded it.

The invention therefore consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional View ofthe tree expanded. Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof eollapsed. Figs. 3,4, and 5 are details.

The tree is made practically in four partsthe sole portion, the upperportion, and the front and back portions of the leg of the boot. Theupper portion C of the tree is slotted at c in its toe to admit the wireloop L on the sole portion, and passing across the toe and part C is pinP, which engages the loop L and secures the upper C to the sole portionof the tree, yet allows the two parts to move backward and forth uponeach other when the tree is collapsed. The front leg portion D ispivoted to the upper part C, as shown, and part C is provided with arearwardly-projecting extension Gr, by means of whichv it is pivotallyattached to the back leg part A of the tree. The sole portion B isalsopivoted to the rear leg part Aat Naud is provided with a latch H,which when the sole B is down in its proper position for the forming ofthe boot, Fig. l, engages with a shoulder g on the upper C. In Fig. lthe tree is shown with the parts set as they should be when it desiredto form a boot. to the back part of the leg A and has a crosspiece jnear its upper bend, as shown, and the front part D of the leg isprovided with a boss d. When the tree is collapsed, this loop J isthrown upward and of course will fold up within the leg of the boot, asshown.

To put a new felt blank over the form, the latch H is raised, and thetoe of the boot can then be lifted up, as shown in Fig. 2. This willthrow part A downward and toward part D, while the sole portion D Willturn upwardlyT until it is finally almost parallel with part A.The'entire tree will then have its parts arranged substantially as shownin Fig. 2, and the blank felt ,form of a boot can then be readilystretched over the tree and brought until the end of the blank comes incontact with the toe end of the part B. Then part B is forced down untilthe parts assume the position shown in Fig. l, when the latch H willengage with shoulder g and lock the extended tree and blank in bootform. The boot is then treated and dried, after which the tree iscollapsed and withdrawn. By turning the boot up and tapping it on atable the latch H will drop by gravity out of engagement with shoulderg, and the tree can then be collapsed and withdrawn from the boot, asdescribed.

The advantages of this construction are as follows: ln trees asheretofore made the distance between the point of the toe and the heelwill vary--that is to say, when. the tree is in a vertical position, sothat the blank can be slipped over it, the sole portion will measure,say, a certain number of inches from the toe to the heel; but when thetree is extended and the sole portion brought down to its place A loop Jis pivoted' IOO the distance from the heel to the point of the toe willbe increased, throwing the parts away from each other-and as the heel isusually on the rear leg part and the toe secured to the front leg partthese portions will be moved away from each other, so that material ofwhich the felt boot is made is subjected to a great strain and thisproduces defects about the heel of the boots made on such trees whichmakes them of an inferior grade by weakening the boot at the points oftension. It is evident, however, thatin this presentinvention, since thesole portion is all in one piece and as the distance or length from theheel to the toe thereof is constant no undue strain will be placed uponthe felt. Therefore there are no weak points produced in the boot by theundue stretching ofthe foot when the boot is treed.

In this invention the sole portion is hinged to the rear leg portion andis practically immovable except around the point where it is pivotcd orhinged and the sole is one uniform length, and hence no undue strain isput on the inclosing portion ot' the boot-blank. rlhe motion ofthe partsin expanding the boot puts si xnply an expanding stretch su ffcient togive the toe of the boot and the upper part ot it its proper form, andas the toe ot' the tree is thrown downward a certain fullness ofmaterial is supplied for the front part of the boot where the anklecomes sufficient to allow the filling ont of the form without unduestrain on any part.

When it is desired to expand theleg of the boot after the foot is drawndown, a hooked rod Z may be inserted and caught over the cross-piece ot'the loop J, and as the latter is drawn downward it is evident that itwill press against the front part of the leg and will separate theportions A and D of the leg until it comes in contact with the boss (l,and as it is farther drawn downward it will draw the front portion ofthe leg of the tree downward, and thus furnish another means forexpanding the tree and bringing the foot down to its proper position, sothat the setting of the foot and the expansion of the tree can be donewith the 011e operation of pulling down this loop, or, it' desired, thefoot could be collapsed irst and the leg could be expanded, pulling downthe loop afterward. Either method of operating the tree would beperfectly practicable.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a collapsible tree, the combination of the front and rear legportions, the upper portion, and the sole portion hinged at its heel endto the rear leg portion and havinga sliding connection atits toe endwith the upper, for the purpose and substantially as described.

2. In a collapsible tree, the combination of the front and rear legportions, the upper portion hinged to the front and rear leg portions,and the sole portion hinged at its heel end to the rear leg portion andhaving a loop on its toe end, and a pin on the upper port-ion of thetree engaging said loop, for the purpose and substantially as described.

3. The combination in a collapsible tree, of the front and rear legportions, the upper portion pivoted to the front leg portion and havingan extension by which it is also pivoted to the rear leg portion, thesole portion hinged at its heel end to the rear leg portion and having aloop on its toe end loosely engaging in a slot in the said upperportion, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a collapsible tree, of the front and rear legportions, the upper portion pivoted to the front leg portion and havingan extension by which it is also pivoted to the rear leg portion, thesole port-ion hinged at its heel end to the rear leg portion and havinga loop on its toe end, and a piu on the upper portion engaging saidloop,said loop being adapted to play through a slot in said upperportion, and a latch pivoted tothe sole portion near the heel endthereof and adapt ed to engage an abutment on the upper po1'- tion tolock the tree in extended position, su bstantially as described.

5. The combination in acollapsible treeot' the front and rear legportions, the upper portion pivoted to the front leg portion and havingan extension by which it is also pivoted to the rear leg portion and thesole porn tion hinged at its heel end to the rear leg portion and havinga loop on its toe end adapted to play through a slot in the said upperportion; with a latch adapted to lock the tree in extended position, anda link pivoted to one leg portion and adapted to engage the other toexpand the leg t'or the purpose and substantially as described.

The combination in a collapsible tree of the front and rear legportions, the upper portion pivoted to the front leg portion and havingan extension by which yit is also pivoted to the rear leg portion, thesole portion hinged at its heel end to the rear leg portion and having aloop on its toe end, and a pin on the upper portion engaging said loop,the loop being adapted to play through a slot in the said upper portion,and a latch pivoted to the sole portion near the heel end thereofadapted to engage an abutment on the upper portion to lock the boot inextended position, and a link pivoted to one leg portion and adapted toengage the other leg portion, for the purpose and substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. PELTON.

In presence of- JAMES DU SHANE, EDA E. RosnNoRANs.

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